ARTHUR
14

In a short time everything calmed down. I waited until the usual signs of sleep could be distinguished. I once again continue my efforts. The bolts were pulled with all possible slowness; but I could not prevent all the noise. My state was full of anxiety and tension; my painful attention was divided between the bolt and the sleeping state. The difficulty lies in providing a level of strength that is barely enough. Probably no less than fifteen minutes spent in this operation. It finally succeeded happily, and the door opened carefully .

Appearing as I did from total darkness, the light that went into the three windows produced, in my eyes, considerable illumination. Things that, at my first entrance to this apartment, were not visible, can now be clearly seen. His bed was covered with curtains, but I went back into hiding, afraid to be seen. To ease my escape, I took off my shoes. My mind is so full of the objects of more pressing moments, that the speed of taking them with me never happens. I left them in the closet.

Now I'm sliding across the apartment to the door. I am not a little discouraged by observing that the key is lacking. My entire expectation depended on negligence to lock it up. In my haste to make sure of this, I made some sounds that woke up again one of the sleepers. He started, and shouted, "Who's there?"

I now regard my case as desperate, and detection as inevitable. My worries, instead of my caution, kept me quiet. I shrank to the wall, and waited in a kind of agony the moment that would decide my fate.

The woman was re-awakened. Answering her question, her husband said that someone, whom she believed in, was at the door, but there was no danger for them to enter, because she had locked it, and the key was in her pocket.

I was so impressed by the ambiguity that would inevitably rest on my motives, and the scrutiny they would exert. I shudder at the possibility of ranking naked with thieves. This reflection once again gave an edge to my ingenuity in finding a way to escape. I have carefully noticed the state of their entrance. Perhaps the act of locking was not noticed; but wasn't it possible that this person was wrong as well? Key missing. Will this happen if the door is unlocked?

My fear, rather than my expectations, encouraged me to experiment. I pulled back the latch, and, with unspeakable excitement, the door opened.

I passed and explored the way to the stairs. I went down until I reached the bottom. I could not accurately remember the position of the door leading to the field, but, carefully fingering the wall with my hands, I finally found it. It was fastened by several bolts and locks. The bolts are easy to pull, but the key is removed. I don't know where it's kept. I think I have reached the threshold of freedom, but here are the obstacles that threaten insurmountable.

But, if the door cannot be passed, the window may be opened. I remember that my colleague went to the door on the left, to look for light. I'm looking for this door. Fortunately it was fastened with only bolts. It put me in a room I carefully explored until I reached the window. I will not think of my efforts to unblock this entrance. Suffice it to say that, after much exertion and frequent mistakes, I finally found my way into the yard, and then into the field.